Originally, when the Embroidered Uniform Guard kicked down a widow's door, passersby dared not approach to watch even if they saw it. But when Young Master Wang came running and shouting, it immediately ignited the gossip-loving souls of the onlookers, who crowded around to see the spectacle.
Since the widow and the Embroidered Uniform Guard were mismatched in strength, it wasn’t much of a show. But when Young Master Wang confronted the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the scene became truly spectacular!
Some onlookers, eager to stir up trouble, even ran to inform the patrolling Northern City Military Command: "Your second young master is at it again—clashing with the Embroidered Uniform Guard!"
The Northern City Military Command had spent the entire night searching for the runaway Young Master Wang!
Truly, after searching far and wide to no avail, here he was, found without any effort at all!
"Let’s go!"
Officer Mu, who had just gotten up to take over the night shift, led the Northern City Military Command to the scene upon hearing the news. Immediately, the quiet Sweetwater Alley became so congested it was even livelier than a marketplace.
Why had Young Master Wang returned after leaving?
First, he was worried that the Embroidered Uniform Guard would ransack the place and damage his mother’s dowry. Second, his conscience wasn’t entirely dead—he couldn’t bear to leave the young widow alone to face the ruthless Embroidered Uniform Guard.
As for being caught again and confined at home… If I escaped once, I can escape a second time.
Young Master Wang had at least a hundred tricks for running away from home.
Just the night before, the Embroidered Uniform Guard had witnessed Young Master Wang’s prowess firsthand. Even Thousand Household Chen had been unable to subdue him and had ended up dead—though it wasn’t Young Master Wang’s fault, it was still an ill omen.
A subordinate advised the young leader of the Embroidered Uniform Guard: "Lord Lu, this Young Master Wang is extremely troublesome—a real jinx. Thousand Household Chen and his son met with disaster because of him. Don’t get involved. Besides, the Wang residence is right next door. This is no place to linger. Let’s take the suspect to the Imperial Guard Office for questioning."
Wei Caiwei had no desire to be interrogated at the Imperial Guard Office and quickly explained, "There were rats in the house last night, and I killed one with a shoe. Look closely, Lord Lu—the rat is bleeding from the mouth, and its bones are crushed. If it had been poisoned, how could its fur and bones be damaged?"
Lord Lu asked, "You dare to kill rats?"
It was her dead husband who killed it! Wei Caiwei said, "This humble woman is a physician. I’m not even afraid of snakes and scorpions, let alone a mere rat. If you don’t believe me, Lord Lu, find a live rat, and I’ll kill it in front of you."
The rat: Absolutely unnecessary!
Lord Lu examined the dead rat closely. A dead rat is always stiff and rigid. From the outside, there was blood around its mouth and on its fur, as if it had been beaten to death. But… what if it had been poisoned first and then stepped on to create a false appearance?
Lord Lu said, "Whether it was beaten or poisoned, the coroner at the office will determine. If there’s no poison, we’ll let you go."
Wei Caiwei tried to argue further, but Lord Lu impatiently waved his hand. "No time to waste words with you. If you refuse to come with us, it means you’re guilty. You can either come willingly, or we’ll tie you up and take you by force. Your choice."
Wei Caiwei had no choice but to pick the first option and follow Lord Lu out.
Then… Lord Lu discovered that, thanks to Young Master Wang’s stirring up trouble, Sweetwater Alley was completely blocked by onlookers and the Northern City Military Command.
They couldn’t get out.
The Embroidered Uniform Guard didn’t want to provoke Young Master Wang, this bringer of misfortune—after all, he was the jinx who had brought doom upon Thousand Household Chen and his son. But Young Master Wang, concerned for Wei Caiwei’s safety, insisted on buzzing around like a fly, determined to be a nuisance.He squeezed to the front, pointing at a patch of scraped paint on the vermilion gate and said, "Ah! My gate! It was just freshly painted this year, looking so beautiful, and you Embroidered Uniform Guards kicked it until it's disfigured!"
Young Master Wang's performance was full of emotion, mourning the loss of paint like a balding man grieving his hair loss. He threw his arms around Lord Lu's leg, "You can't leave! The gate is already ruined, who knows how much damage has been done to the furniture and decorations inside! We need to calculate all the losses clearly and get compensation!"
Lord Lu, caught off guard by having his leg grabbed, stiffened.
His subordinates exclaimed, "Protect Lord Lu!"
The Embroidered Uniform Guards swarmed forward to pull Young Master Wang away, while Lord Lu struggled to shake off his left leg, "You scoundrel! Get away! Let go!"
In the tug-of-war, Young Master Wang's hands slid from Lord Lu's thigh to his knee, then grabbed his boot shaft, actually managing to pull off one of Lord Lu's boots entirely!
Lord Lu's face turned pale with rage, "Get my boot back! And take this scoundrel away too!"
Young Master Wang waved the boot defensively, shouting loudly, "The Embroidered Uniform Guards are killing people!"
Lord Lu's face was as white as paper, never expecting Wang Daxia to be such a shameless, unreasonable troublemaker of a young master. He snapped, "Shut up! Who's trying to kill you?"
Young Master Wang paid no heed and continued shouting about the Embroidered Uniform Guards killing people. Wei Caiwei shot him a meaningful glance and pointed at the gate. Understanding her signal, he clutched the boot and fled into the house.
When the Northern City Military Command arrived and saw a group of Embroidered Uniform Guards ganging up on their young master, forcing him into the house, they rushed over to intervene.
Bystanders exclaimed: The Embroidered Uniform Guards and Northern City Military Command are fighting again!
Young Master Wang scrambled up to the second floor, hid in a room, and slammed the door shut with a bang. The pursuing Embroidered Uniform Guards kicked the door furiously, while the Northern City Military Command pushed through to pull them away. Officer Mu said angrily, "What has our young master done that you Embroidered Uniform Guards must hunt him down like this?"
Lord Lu, wearing only one boot, was about to speak when Wei Caiwei, who had been quietly observing all along, remarked, "Wang Daxia took off Lord Lu's boot."
Officer Mu questioned Lord Lu, "My lord, is it really necessary to kill our young master over a single boot? That's going too far."
Lord Lu said coldly, "When did I say I would kill him? He was the one who grabbed... stole my boot first."
Officer Mu knocked on the door, "Second Young Master, return Lord Lu's boot."
From behind the door, Young Master Wang said, "Uncle Mu, the Embroidered Uniform Guards have been smashing and looting in my house, disturbing my tenant Doctor Wei, and trying to arrest her. Both the house and the furniture were part of my mother's dowry. Whoever owns something treasures it. The Embroidered Uniform Guards not only refuse to compensate but also threaten to kill me! You must stand up for me!"
Officer Mu looked at the shoe prints on the door and the freshly chipped paint, then asked Lord Lu, "You look unfamiliar, my lord. I haven't seen you before. May I ask your esteemed name and official position?"
Lord Lu said, "My name is Lu Ying... as in 'hero.' As for my position... I'm not a high-ranking official, just a guard commander serving under Commander Lu of the Embroidered Uniform Guard."
The commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was Lu Bing, the milk-brother of Emperor Jiajing, a favorite who never lost the emperor's grace, and the person the emperor trusted most.
Officer Mu asked further, "Commander Lu, you're so young... you must be related to Commander Lu, right?"
Lu Ying seemed displeased by others speculating about his identity and said coldly, "That has nothing to do with today's matter."Officer Mu, having served as an official in the capital, was well-informed and perceptive. Judging from Commander Lu's reaction, he deduced that this man must be a relative of Commander Lu Bing.
Commander Lu Bing had four sons, but the eldest and second son had both died young. Only the two youngest, Lu Yi and Lu Cai, survived. This Lu Ying was likely a nephew or some other relative.
So he's another privileged young master—Young Master Lu.
Having figured out Lu Ying's background, Officer Mu felt more confident. He knocked on the door and said:
"Young Master, Commander Lu is a nephew of Commander Lu Bing. Commander Lu Bing has always disciplined his family to be humble and courteous, never bullying others. If Commander Lu has brought the Embroidered Uniform Guard to search the house today, it must be for an urgent matter. It's true that his subordinates might be a bit rough, but how could they possibly kill people in the streets as you claimed? There must be some misunderstanding. Come out, return the boots to Commander Lu, and let's sit down to talk and clear things up."
Wang Daxia, hearing from behind the door that this Lu Ying had the powerful backing of Lu Bing, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, knew this man was not to be trifled with. So he took the opportunity Officer Mu provided, opened the door, returned the boots, and said:
"I didn't strike first. It was your men who damaged my property and harassed my tenant that forced me to defend myself."
Lu Ying put on his boots. "You keep accusing the Embroidered Uniform Guard of murder—spreading malicious rumors."
Wang Daxia pointed at the group of guards on the stairs. "With so many of you attacking me, a single punch from each could leave me dead or crippled. Round it up, and that's practically murder."
Lu Ying snorted coldly. "Slick talk."
As they seemed about to argue again, Wei Caiwei spoke up, "This all started because of me..."
In a few words, she explained why the Embroidered Uniform Guard had kicked down her door that morning. "...I was the one who killed that rat. The weather is hot, and leaving it inside would make it stink. As a widow, it's not safe to open the door late at night, so I left it in the yard to dispose of when I went out. I didn't expect the Embroidered Uniform Guard to arrive so early, mistake it for poison, and try to take both the rat and me to the Imperial Guard Office for investigation."
Upon hearing this, Wang Daxia realized he was the one who had caused the trouble! When Wei Caiwei had asked him to dispose of the dead rat, he had picked it up by the tail with a leaf and left it in the yard, intending to throw it out at daybreak. But when the guards arrived suddenly, he had forgotten about it in his rush to escape through the back door.
Wei Caiwei bowed to Lu Ying. "This humble woman is willing to accompany Commander Lu to the Imperial Guard Office. Once the coroner confirms the rat wasn't poisoned, the matter will be resolved, and I can resume practicing medicine to make a living. As a Female Household, I rely on my medical practice to support myself. If I stop working, I stop eating. The cost of living in the capital is high; even one day without income could lead to hunger and cold in the future."
Wang Daxia, worried that the young widow might be mistreated if she went to the Imperial Guard Office alone, said, "She's my tenant. If you want to beat a dog, you'd better check with its owner first, let alone when it's a tenant. Bullying her means disrespecting me. I'll go with her to the Imperial Guard Office—once she's proven innocent and can resume her practice, we'll still need to settle the compensation for today's property damage."
Wei Caiwei thought to herself: Who's the dog? Watch out, or I'll smash your stupid head!
Author's Note: Young Master Wang: With my dazzling performance, the young widow must be so moved! She'll probably come hugging her pillow looking for me to be her substitute sleep companion again.
Good morning, 100 red envelopes for this chapter.
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